2520 Simple

2520 If your faith in the word of God is strengthened, if you will fully accept the truths that have called us out of the world, and made us a people denominated by the Lord as his peculiar treasure, if you will unite with your brethren in standing by the old landmarks,--then there will be unity. But if you remain in unbelief, unsettled as to the true foundation of faith, there can be no more hope of unity in the future than there has in the past. {SpM 341.2}1903 The Starting Point Isaiah 7:8-9 For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin; and within threescore and five years shall Ephraim be broken, that it be not a people. (9) And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is Remaliah's son. If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established. In Isaiah 7 we have an history of a civil war between the northern kingdom of Israel (Ephraim with its capital Samaria) and the southern kingdom of Judah. Israel is confederate with Syria. The conditions and structure of this prophecy imply that this is to be in fulfilment of some early prophecy. "threescore and five ... not a people — As these words break the symmetry of the parallelism in this verse, either they ought to be placed after “Remaliah’s son,” in Isaiah 7:9, or else they refer to some older prophecy of Isaiah, or of Amos (as the Jewish writers represent), parenthetically; to which, in Isaiah 7:8, the words, “If ye will not believe ... not be established,” correspond in parallelism. One deportation of Israel happened within one or two years from this time, under Tiglath-pileser (2 Kings 15:29). Another in the reign of Hoshea, under Shalmaneser (2 Kings 17:1-6), was about twenty years after. But the final one which utterly “broke” up Israel so as to be “not a people,” accompanied by a colonization of Samaria with foreigners, was under Esar-haddon, who carried away Manasseh, king of Judah, also, in the twenty-second year of his reign, sixty-five years from the utterance of this prophecy (compare Ezra 4:2, Ezra 4:3, Ezra 4:10, with 2 Kings 17:24; 2 Chronicles 33:11) [Usher]. The event, though so far off, was enough to assure the people of Judah that as God, the Head of the theocracy, would ultimately interpose to destroy the enemies of His people, so they might rely on Him now." from Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary Leviticus 26 connected to Isaiah 7 We make the case that the prophecy being referred to is that that is in the 26th chapter of Leviticus. It is the first prophecy in the Bible that explicitly deals with the deportation of God's people from the promised land by their enemies. Though these can be implied in the blessings of the sons of Jacob, they are here laid out in detail. From the captivity of the northern kingdom to the destruction of Jerusalem under the Roman siege, the language is clear. Blessings and Curses (Prophetic Mirror) Verses 1-13 of Leviticus 26 describes the blessings that God will pour out upon His people if they follow the statues just presented in the previous chapter. Not only will the land be blessed but they will be blessed with God's presence and be His people.

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2520 Verses 14-17 describe the curses that will ensue if they do not keep His statutes. These mirror one another and set up the idea of the prophetic mirror that we will see later as we go through the fulfilment of this prophecy. Conditions in 742 BC One needs to point out the conditions that existed at the time (742 BC) of the giving of the prophecy in Isaiah 7:8,9 and the conditions that it consists of; there is a civil war between the north and the south the north being confederate, the prophecy is proclaimed; Ephraim will be broken (referring to the taking away of the kingship); it will not be a people; it will not be established; As well, the prophecy is given to literal Israel. The Land Keeps Sabbath Leviticus 26:32-35 And I will bring the land into desolation: and your enemies which dwell therein shall be astonished at it. (33) And I will scatter you among the heathen, and will draw out a sword after you: and your land shall be desolate, and your cities waste. (34) Then shall the land enjoy her sabbaths, as long as it lieth desolate, and ye be in your enemies' land; even then shall the land rest, and enjoy her sabbaths. (35) As long as it lieth desolate it shall rest; because it did not rest in your sabbaths, when ye dwelt upon it. The 70 Years of Jeremiah Jeremiah 25:11-13 And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. (12) And it shall come to pass, when seventy years are accomplished, that I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation, saith the LORD, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and will make it perpetual desolations. (13) And I will bring upon that land all my words which I have pronounced against it, even all that is written in this book, which Jeremiah hath prophesied against all the nations. Jeremiah 29:10 For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place. Daniel 9:2 In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem. 2 Chronicles 36:20-21 And them that had escaped from the sword carried he away to Babylon; where they were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia: (21) To fulfil the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years. Leviticus 26:43 The land also shall be left of them, and shall enjoy her sabbaths, while she lieth desolate without them: and they shall accept of the punishment of their iniquity: because, even because they despised my judgments, and because their soul abhorred my statutes. Page 2

2520 Why did Israel not allow the land to rest? 1 Samuel 8:10-18 And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of him a king. (11) And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots. (12) And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots. (13) And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers. (14) And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants. (15) And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants. (16) And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work. (17) He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants. (18) And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day. How long was Israel under a king? "From Saul to Zedekiah is Saul anointed king 1096/1095 1 Samuel 10; Jerusalem in captivity seventy years, Jeremiah 25:12; beginning of captivity 606/605 2 Kings 24:1.1096 to 606 equals 490 years." Clark’s Commentary. The Sabbath rest for the land was 70 years because for 490 years the land was unable to keep Sabbath because of the demands of kingship. The 'Seven Times' of Leviticus 26 Leviticus 26:18-28 And if ye will not yet for all this hearken unto me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins. (19) And I will break the pride of your power; and I will make your heaven as iron, and your earth as brass: (20) And your strength shall be spent in vain: for your land shall not yield her increase, neither shall the trees of the land yield their fruits. (21) And if ye walk contrary unto me, and will not hearken unto me; I will bring seven times more plagues upon you according to your sins. (22) I will also send wild beasts among you, which shall rob you of your children, and destroy your cattle, and make you few in number; and your high ways shall be desolate. (23) And if ye will not be reformed by me by these things, but will walk contrary unto me; (24) Then will I also walk contrary unto you, and will punish you yet seven times for your sins. (25) And I will bring a sword upon you, that shall avenge the quarrel of my covenant: and when ye are gathered together within your cities, I will send the pestilence among you; and ye shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy. (26) And when I have broken the staff of your bread, ten women shall bake your bread in one oven, and they shall deliver you your bread again by weight: and ye shall eat, and not be satisfied. (27) And if ye will not for all this hearken unto me, but walk contrary unto me; (28) Then I will walk contrary unto you also in fury; and I, even I, will chastise you seven times for your sins.

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2520 Intensity or Duration? Let us look at the Hebrew in Leviticus 26:18 and compare it with the English. ‫ ואם‬H518 ‫ דע‬H5704 ‫ אלה‬H428 ‫ לא‬H3808 ‫עו‬ H853 ‫ ע‬H7651 ‫ על‬H5921 ‫ חטא יכם׃‬H2403

H8085 ‫ ויספ י לי‬H3254 ‫ ליסרה‬H3256 ‫א כם‬

And if H518 ye will not H3808 yet for H5704 all this H428 hearken H8085 unto me, then I will punish H3256 you seven times H7651 more H3254 for H5921 your sins. H2403 First, you see that the order is different, as is common with foreign languages. This can be misleading when comparing the English with the Hebrew. Since the language has been switched around due to the translation it can be difficult to put it back into Hebrew. Let us place it in Hebrew order. And if H518 yet for H5704 all this H428 ye will not H3808 hearken H8085 more H3254 unto me, then I will punish H3256 (untranslated) H853 you seven times H7651 for H5921 your sins. H2403 We can see that the English doesn't make as much sense but it will help us to do our own translation. If H518 as long H5704 as this H428 ye will not H3808 hearken H8085 then I will prolong H3254 chastisements H3256 even H853 to you seven H7651 for H5921 your sins. H2403 My translation: If as yet for all this you will not hearken, then I will prolong your punishments even seven for your sins. We have translated yasaf as 'prolonged', which is its usual meaning. It never has the meaning of ‘more’ as in ‘intensity’ in this context. I am preparing a paper with the help of one of the leading Hebrew scholars in Canada. Dr. Russell Nelson received his doctorate from Harvard and is a personal friend of mine. He states that we have a strong case linguistically for our position that the use of 'sheba' in Leviticus 26 is unique and refers to a duration rather than an intensity. The Sabbatical Cycle is a Type “If this, then, is a correct view of the subject, and time is prefigured, when would the seven years of the antitype begin? I answer, it must begin with the servitude and bondage of the visible people of God; for at the end of seven years they must go free, or there would be no force in the type, and of course no fulfilment in the antitype. Seven prophetic years would be seven times 360, equal to 2520 years. This bondage must begin with the kingdom of Babylon, the first kingdom of Daniel's four monarchies, which kingdoms were to make war with the saints, and prevail against them, until the Ancient of Days came; and these were to scatter the people of God into all the kingdoms of the earth, and have dominion over them, and exercise authority upon them. Mark x.42: "But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles, exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them." This was prophesied of by Moses and all the prophets down to John. Acts iii.20-24: "And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: whom the heaven must receive, until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of Page 4

2520 all his holy prophets, since the world began. For Moses truly said unto the fathers, a Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you, of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things, whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass, that every soul which will not hear that Prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people. Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel, and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days." And the restitution of all things must be at the year of release, when God will send his Son Jesus Christ to restore the earth and all who will then dwell therein, to a state of purity and blessedness, and bring them into the inheritance of the saints, and shall deliver them from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sons of God. These seven years of servitude must include these four kingdoms, Babylon or Nebuchadnezzar's, which was the head of gold; Media and Persia, Grecia and Rome, which constituted the whole man of sin, from his head to his toes.” {1842 William Miller, Lectures on the Typical Sabbaths and Great Jubillee 16.1} When did the 2520 begin? “When, then, may we not ask, did the bondage of the children of God begin? I answer, when literal Babylon began to exercise authority over them. In the twenty-second year of Manasseh's reign, in the year before Christ 677, the last of the ten tribes were carried away, and Israel ceased to be a nation, according to the prophecy of Isaiah, vii.8: "For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin: and within three-score and five years shall Ephraim be broken, that it be not a people." Isaiah prophesied this in the year 742 before Christ, which prophecy was literally fulfilled in sixty-five years afterwards, in the year B. C. 677. Then, too, Manasseh king of Judah was carried a captive into Babylon, and the threatenings of God began upon his people. 2Kings xxi.10-14: "And the Lord spake by his servants the prophets, saying, because Manasseh, king of Judah, hath done these abominations, and hath done wickedly above all that the Amorites did, which were before him, and hath made Judah also to sin with his idols: therefore, thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Behold, I am bringing such evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whosoever heareth of it, both his ears shall tingle. And I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria, and the plummet of the house of Ahab: and I will wipe Jerusalem as a man wipeth a dish, wiping it, and turning it upside down. And I will forsake the remnant of mine inheritance, and deliver them into the hand of their enemies; and they shall become a prey and a spoil to all their enemies." Also, xxiv.3,4: "Surely at the commandment of the Lord came this upon Judah, to remove them out of his sight, for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he did; and also for the innocent blood that he shed, (for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood,) which the Lord would not pardon." And although Josiah, who was king of Judah after Manasseh, did many good acts, yet the Lord turned not from the fierceness of his wrath against Judah. 2Kings xxiii.26,27: "Notwithstanding, the Lord turned not from the fierceness of his great wrath, wherewith his anger was kindled against Judah, because of all the provocations that Manasseh had provoked him withal. And the Lord said, I will remove Judah also out of my sight, as I have removed Israel, and will cast off this city Jerusalem which I have chosen, and the house of which I said, My name shall be there." The decree against Judah, was the same as against Israel. They must be scattered among all nations. It could not be revoked, notwithstanding their repentance and partial reformation. Jeremiah xv.4, - "And I will cause them to be removed into all kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah, king of Judah, for Page 5

2520 that which he did in Jerusalem," - tells us of the same thing, that Judah as well as Israel must be made captives. Israel began to be carried away in the days of Hoshea, 722 B. C [corrected to 723 B.C]., and from that time to 1798 after Christ, is exactly 2520 years, or the seven prophetic years. How remarkable, that when the seven years ended, God began to deliver his church from her bondage, which for ages had been made subject to the kings of the earth. In 1798 the church came out of the wilderness, and began to be delivered from her captivity. But the completion of her slavery to the kingdoms of the earth, is reserved for another period. Beginning B. C., 677 years, seven prophetic years, or 2520 common years, would end in A. D. 1843 [corrected to 1844]. Therefore, beginning at the captivity of Manasseh and the final dispersion of the ten tribes of Israel, where God has fixed the time for the dispersion of the people of God and the scattering of the holy people, until the year 1843 [1844], will be the end of the seven years, when the acceptable year of the LORD will commence; and, in my humble opinion, the children of God will be delivered from all the evils enumerated by Moses in Leviticus xxvi., and Jeremiah xv.; from war or the sword, from pestilence and famine, from captivity and spoil, from death and corruption; and all will be comforted, and all tears be wiped from off all faces; sighs and sorrows shall cease forever, and there shall be no more curse, for the throne of the Lamb shall be there, and he shall dwell with them, and be their God, and they shall be his people. This will take place in the acceptable year of the Lord, the antitypical year of release.” {1842 William Miller, Lectures on the Typical Sabbaths and Great Jubillee 18.1} Comparison with Nebuchadnezzar's Seven Times We compare the symbols, language and concepts that are used in Nebuchadnezzar's punishment in Daniel 4 with those used in Leviticus 26. - 'seven times' is mentioned four times. Leviticus 26Daniel 4 Pride of your power Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty? heaven as iron, and your earth as brass a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth: for your land shall not yield her increase, neither shall the trees of the land yield their fruits. The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth: The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, I will also send wild beasts among you let his portion be with the beasts I will scatter you among the heathen scatter his fruit

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2520 Nebuchanezzar's Seven Times Was Fulfilled as 2520 Literal Days Dan 4:29-34 At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon. (30) The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty? (31) While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee. (32) And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. (33) The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws. (34) And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: Nebuchanezzar's 2520 is an Analogue to Judah's 2520 Both Manasseh and Nebuchadnezzar were returned to their throne after their repentance. Manasseh's captivity is an earnest of what was to be given at the end of Judah's 2520 - an undoing of the chastisements, a gathering 2520. "As an earnest of what would befall the people should they continue impenitent, the Lord permitted their king to be captured by a band of Assyrian soldiers, who "bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon," their temporary capital. This affliction brought the king to his senses; "he besought the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, and prayed unto Him: and He was entreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord He was God." 2 Chronicles 33:11-13." {PK 382.3} Belshazzar’s 2520 is an Analogue to Israel’s 2520 Daniel 5:18-30 O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy [grand] father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour: (19) And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down. (20) But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him: (21) And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: they fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will. (22) And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this; (23) But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which Page 7

2520 see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified: (24) Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written. (25) And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. (26) This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it. (27) TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. (28) PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians. (29) Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom. (30) In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain. H4484 ‫( נא‬Aramaic) menê' BDB Definition: 1) (Peal) mina, maneh 1a) a weight or measurement; usually 50 shekels but maybe 60 shekels Part of Speech: noun masculine A Related Word by BDB/Strong’s Number: passive participle of H4483 Same Word by TWOT Number: 2835a

H8625 ‫( ל‬Aramaic) teqal BDB Definition: 1) to weigh (verb) 1a) (Peil) to be weighed 2) tekel, shekel (noun masculine) 2a) (Peal) tekel - a unit of weight, shekel Part of Speech: see above in Definition A Related Word by BDB/Strong’s Number: corresponding to H8254 Same Word by TWOT Number: 3063, 3063a H6537 ‫( רס‬Aramaic) peras BDB Definition: 1) (Peal) to break in two, divide (verb) 2) half-mina, half-shekel (noun masculine) 2a) a unit of measure and weight Part of Speech: see above in Definition A Related Word by BDB/Strong’s Number: corresponding to H6536 Same Word by TWOT Number: 2945 From Wiki A gerah Hebrew "‫ "גרה‬is an ancient Hebrew unit of weight and currency. One gerah is one-twentieth of a shekel. A shekel being 180 barleycorns or 60 carob divided by 20 = 3 carob. This is 0.568 grams. Page 8

2520 A gerah is in Aramaic a ma'ah "‫( " עה‬pl. ma'ot " ‫ " עו‬which means "money"). It was originally a fifth of a Denarius/Zuz as seen in Exodus ("20 gerah is a shekel"), then became a sixth of a denar/Zuz, such as the Yehud coins which came in two denominations, approximately .58 gram as a ma'ah and approximately .29 gram as a half ma'ah (chatzi ma'ah), and (.58 X 6 = 3.48) which is about the weight of a Zuz/Denarius based on a 14 gram Shekel. The Jerusalem Talmud Shekalim in the Mishnah, debates if a "kalbon" which was added when giving annually a half shekel to the Temple in Jerusalem, if it was a "ma'ah" or a "chatzi ma'ah" (half ma'ah). Mene 50 Shekels = 1000 Gerah Mene 50 Shekels = 1000 Gerah Tekel 1 Shekel = 20 Gerah Peres 1/2 Mina = 500 Gerah == 2520 gerah's The ten northern tribes were scattered never to be gathered. Israel's 2520 is the scattering 2520. Lev 27:25 And all thy estimations shall be according to the shekel of the sanctuary: twenty gerahs shall be the shekel. Declaring the End From the Beginning As mentioned earlier, there is a suggestion in Leviticus 26 of a prophetic mirror or chiasm. Beginning 742 BC – 19 years – 723 BC – 46 years – 677 BC Ending 1798 – 46 years – 1844 – 19 years – 1863. This is not a day-for-a-year prophecy nor is it a predictive time prophecy. This is an observation after the fact. More than this however, we see that the conditions that existed at the time of the giving of the prophecy of Isaiah 7:8.9 are mirrored at the end of the two 2520’s.

Conditions in 742 BC as Compared to the Conditions in 1863. prophecy proclaimed prophecy rejected civil war N (confederate) vs. S civil war N vs. S (confederate) kingship broken kingship unbroken not a people denominated people not established SDA church established literal Israel spiritual Israel scattered gathered Page 9

2520 Christ’s 2520 The 2520 for Israel is divided into two halves. The first consists of 1260 years of pagan domination (The Daily) which extends from 723 BC to 538 AD. The second consists of Papal domination (the transgression of desolation) which extends from 528 to 1798. Paganism is Satan’s counterfeit of the earthy sanctuary, while Papalism is Satan’s counterfeit of the heavenly sanctuary. Christ ministered (confirmed the covenant) for seven literal years or 2520 literal days, 1260 of which he ministered on earth and 1260 of which he ministered in heaven.

I hope this is Helpful,

Theodore Turner

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